Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Scene from an elevator

SCENE

(Karen gets on the elevator, already occupied by a very tall, very lean man. He leers at her, ostensibly looking her up and down. Her discomfort and "C'mon 24th floor!" thought-bubble are nearly palpable.)

MAN

(locking in with intense eye contact)

Sooo. You're on an insulin pump.

KAREN

(confused, but grateful for familiar territory)

Yes. Yes, I'm on an insulin pump.

MAN

(still staring, still unnerving)

I'm diabetic, too.

(pause)

I don't have a pump.

KAREN

(wondering if he's interested in the pump or judging)

Uh. Yeah? And are...you're on shots?

MAN

Yessss. The poor man's pump.

KAREN

(feeling incredibly guilty, like she was showing off)

Oh. Um. Well, I just started last September? I was on shots for years before that.

My CDE called Lantus "the poor man's pump." Then she immediately was like, "Oh, I shouldn't say that, I don't mean to be disprespectful." (Not that she was saying I'm poor. This comment was at my first education appointment, after diagnosis, so it's not like I could even HAVE a pump at that point.)

Hi there.

I'm Karen. I'm a PWD - Type 1 diabetes, to be exact. I live in Brooklyn. I obsess about things. I have a husband, a darling little girl, and two cats (all awesome). I read a lot. I love coffee (a bit too much).